Yeoman Warders

Residents of the Tower

The Yeomen warders (Queen’s Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard (The Body Guard)) who number 35 these days were established in 1485 by Henry VIII. To be a warder one has to have had at least 22 years in the British Armed Forces, and the first female warder was announced in January 2007.

Hard to believe I know, but the Tower of London isn't just a tourist destination, it's a village. The Warders along with their families actually live here. This small village of approximately 150 has to be one of the safest, cosiest communities within London and well worth a peak at their wee houses from Tower Bridge.

The Ravenmaster

Proper title the Yeoman Warder Ravenmaster holds an extremely responsible position, as his wards are the ravens which prevent the tower and the monarchy from falling. His job begins extremely early in the morning when he goes personally to Smithfield Meat Market for the daily vituals of the 6 ravens plus 2 spares. After greeting them, he lets them out, cleans their cages, feeds them and generally looks after their welfare. Part of the Tower ravens' daily regime is to eat formula biscuits soaked in blood. They're given a hard boiled egg each week to keep their bones strong, and once a month they get cod liver oil to keep their black plumage shiny.

The Ravens

The current birds (at November 2006) are Gwylum, Thor, Hugin, Munin, Branwen, Bran, Gundulf and Baldrick - Thor can actually speak, - he said hello to President Putin during his visit to the Tower in 2003.

Although they have one of their wings clipped to prevent them from escaping. This doesn't always stop them doing so, however - Grog was last seen outside an East End pub called the 'Rose and Punchbowl' in 1981.

Raven Mythology

Apparently the mythology attached to the ravens is a more recent invention than one would have thought. Historian Geoff Parnell has searched through 1000 years of records, and the earliest reference he found was 1895, in a piece in the RSPCA journal, The Animal World. One Edith Hawthorn referred to the tower's pet cat being tormented by the ravens, Jenny and a nameless mate. Dr Parnell suspects the first ravens may have been pets kept by Yeomen or other staff: there was a craze for pet ravens after Edgar Allen Poe's poem in the 1850s. See Guardian link for more details.

More Information

Click for links to a site on the history of the Yeomen of the Guard, more info on the Tower Ravens or a BBC article on the Ravenmaster - an Unusal Job.

Quirky Travel
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